The Africa Habitat Review Journal seeks to advance knowledge and promote the exchange of ideas among stakeholders in the built environment. The journal provides a platform for disseminating scholarly research, innovative practices, and emerging technologies that inform policy, planning, design, construction, and management of the built environment. By fostering dialogue between researchers, practitioners, and policymakers, the journal supports research and development aimed at improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of professional practice across Africa and beyond.
FBED Publications, University of Nairobi, 2025
Youth-Led Visual Storytelling as a Qualitative Participatory Approach to Understanding Urban Vulnerability and Resilience in Kariobangi, Nairobi
Conventional measures of urban vulnerability, including housing, infrastructure, and poverty, provide important insights into conditions in informal settlements. However, they often overlook how young people experience, interpret, and respond to these realities in everyday life. This paper examines how youth-led visual storytelling reveals lived experiences of urban vulnerability and resilience in Kariobangi, Nairobi. The study adopted a qualitative participatory visual storytelling approach involving 30 young people aged 18–25 years recruited from Kariobangi, neighbouring Eastlands communities, and broader youth engagement platforms. Peer-to-peer engagement activities involving approximately 120 young people further enriched the research process. Participant-generated visual stories served as the primary analytical evidence for interpreting experiences of vulnerability and resilience. The findings reveal vulnerability as a layered experience shaped by economic uncertainty, insecure housing, environmental pressures, emotional wellbeing, political exclusion, and disrupted aspirations, while resilience emerged through rebuilding, shared care, creative expression, collective action, and hope. The study demonstrates that positioning participant-generated visuals as primary research evidence advances design research and strengthens participatory urban design, planning, and community engagement responsive to young people's lived realities and aspirations.
Youth-led visual storytelling, design research, qualitative research, community engagement, urban vulnerability, resilience, informal settlements, Kariobangi
Copyright (c) 2026 AFRICA HABITAT REVIEW
Human-Centered Workplace Design for Employee Well-Being and Productivity:
This study examined the application of human-centered design principles within workplace environments of Manzil Designs, Nairobi, and their influence on employee well-being and productivity. A mixed-method case study involving 12 respondents was conducted using observations, questionnaires, interviews, spatial measurements and photographic documentation. Qualitative data were analyzed thematically, while quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. The findings revealed that the workplace incorporated collaborative spaces, natural lighting, ergonomic furniture and open-plan layouts. Most employees, however, identified the need for improvements in lighting (91.7%), furniture (75.0%) and spatial layout (66.7%). Additionally, 80.0% agreed that workplace design directly influences comfort, concentration, task performance and productivity. The study concludes that workplace design is more effective when employees actively participate in the design process. It contributes empirical evidence on human-centered workplace design in Kenya and recommends co-design guidelines to support healthier, more productive office environments and participatory human-centered design in workplace design practice and policy in Kenya.
Co-design, employee productivity, employee well-being, human-centered design, Kenya, mixed methods, workplace design
Development control is a statutory administrative mechanism of urban planning often criticised for inconsistency, discretionary decision-making, lack of transparency and limited community participation. A qualitative case study was carried out in Karen and Buruburu residential areas on community participation in development control. Data collected from key informants, focus group discussions, field observations and secondary sources revealed a discrepancy between the formal planning process and development control decision-making, identifying institutional fragmentation, political influence and weak participation as major governance challenges. Development control mechanisms operated under a negotiation process shaped by power relations, political influence and fragmented institutions. Effectiveness was undermined by lack of transparency, where regulatory institutions lacked accountable discretionary development practices, reducing participation to tokenism. The paper concludes that effective development control depends on a predictable regulatory framework, community participation, enabling governance practices and accountable decision-making in approving plans. A participatory development control model providing coordination, transparency and criteria for development control decisions is proposed.
Community participation, development control, discretion, Nairobi, participatory planning, regulatory institutions, urban governance
Two-Phase Stabilization of Black Cotton Soil in Kenya Using Sodium Chloride and Cement
This study explores the two-phase stabilization of Black Cotton Soil (BCS) in Kenya using sodium chloride and Portland cement to enhance strength and reduce swelling. A staged cement addition method—comprising primary and secondary dosages—was applied to improve soil structure and dimensional stability. Laboratory evaluations, including linear shrinkage, liquid limit, free swell, and Unconfined Compressive Strength (UCS), were conducted on specimens with cement additions of 50–150 kg/m³. Results indicate that the two-stage process significantly decreased shrinkage and increased UCS, particularly at higher cement levels. The method also proved environmentally safe, with hexavalent chromium levels below regulatory limits based on TCLP 1311 leaching tests. The findings demonstrate that staged cement addition provides a sustainable and cost-effective solution for stabilizing expansive soils. This study then aims to evaluate the effectiveness of a two-phase cement stabilization process using sodium chloride in improving the physical and mechanical properties of Black Cotton Soil in Kenya, and providing insights into sustainable utilization of expansive soils in construction.
Black cotton soil, soil stabilization, sodium chloride, cement, expansive soils, construction, infrastructure resilience, Kenya
Architecture in its broad perspective denotes both a process and a product. In the formal built environment, there are distinct mechanisms for engaging with the two dimensions unlike with the informal where the mode of ‘architecture without architects’ prevails. Extreme informality is typified by slums that constitute a sizeable portion of the urban formation in the global South. Past upgrading initiatives have experienced gentrification and displacement of beneficiaries ostensibly due to mismatches between the residents’ real needs and the state of the upgrading; an apparent implication for architecture. Contextually, the current Kenya government’s big four agenda for development cites slum upgrading as a focus area in the affordable housing pillar. It is thus imperative to examine better ways of structuring architecture to appropriately respond to the specific needs of the urban poor and avoid the pitfalls experienced with previous initiatives. The paper adopts a practice research approach that espouses ‘writing from practice’. While a myriad of other disciplinary accounts could be derived from the referenced case, this study focuses only on the state of architecture in the upgrading based on the author’s practical experiences as a community architect for the project. The study of Kambi Moto upgrading depicts a participatory approach that promotes close interactions between the community and the technical design team. A feedback loop remains open; constantly linking the community’s reactions on the emerging upgrading to the design solutions for subsequent upgrading phases. The community’s involvement obviates the gaps that conventionally exist between the user, the developer and the designer and enhances resonance between user needs and design solutions. The incremental construction approach enables the owners to scale up the architecture in tandem with improvements in their financial capacity. While the specific experiences herein may not wholesomely be generalized for other contexts, it is the principles behind the architecture that would be of adaptive replication in the upgrading of other slums.
Unpacking the Role of Culture Towards Quality Education for Sustainable Development in Kenya
The paper explores the link between culture and education for sustainable development in Kenya. To achieve this objective, a desk study was carried out on culturally appropriate education and education for sustainable development. Specifically, data was obtained from review of Kenya Basic Education Curriculum Framework (BECF) that guides the Competency Based Curriculum (CBC) and Education for Sustainable Development (ESD) policy for the education sector. The paper discusses the interplay of ESD policy and BECF with culture to identify the existing challenges and opportunities in implementing SDG target 4.7. The findings reveal that culture is superficially embedded in the ESD policy and BECF, and the cultural stakeholders are excluded from the development, implementation and evaluation of the policy. There is also no clear explanation on how cultural diversity and intercultural dialogue is translated into practice to achieve ESD. The paper concludes that embedding culture in ESD policy provides a deep and shared understanding of the development, implementation and evaluation of ESD policy and BECF. As a strategy to achieve ESD, the paper recommends integration of culture at all levels of the ESD policy and the BECF.
Waste Minimization Strategy for Sustainable Interior Design
Recently, interior design has experienced a dramatic change with the incorporation of strategies which emphasizes the designing of environmentally sustainable and healthy spaces for people to live in, work in and play in. The awareness of environmental accountability has sparked the necessity for environmentally sustainable interior design practice. Society at large is starting to recognize the link between spaces, people and the community. In Kenya there are no clear waste minimization strategies that interior designers can adopt in their practices in order to practice sustainable interior design. The study aimed to establish the most appropriate waste minimization strategy used by interior designers and to propose a waste minimization strategy that can be adopted by interior designers to attain sustainable interior design. The literature was gathered through desktop research, which entailed document analysis from published online academic journals and books. The study established that interior designers have a great role to play in the reduction of waste produced as they are the party assigned to recommend materials and processes to be used. Moreover, there are numerous waste minimization strategies that can be used to achieve sustainable interior design. The study concluded that assessment tools should be adopted by interior designers as they pose a lot of advantages compared to other waste minimization strategies. Assessment tool assess, indorse and increase sustainable growth in the construction industry, and also offer a scheme that gives a wide-range understanding of sustainability through the process of data examination, assessment, and disparity.
Adaptation of Swahili Architecture and Identity
Cultural continuity and authenticity is of growing concern in Lamu today. This paper questions cultural identity and the resulting material culture of the Swahili people in Lamu. The exploration reveals that the cultural identity of Lamu has a history firmly rooted in hybridisation and transculturation. However, like everything that is historical, it undergoes perpetual and invariable transformations. Using Lamu Old Town, the oldest and best preserved Swahili settlement and Shela, a neighbouring village, as a case study, the study applies the theory of transculturation to explore the adaptation of Lamu architecture over time. A comparative analysis of four housing typologies demonstrates that the stone houses are characterised by variations and adjustments of an otherwise expected model; adapted to meet the dynamic functions as the town grew with irresolute precepts. The paper concludes that in the phase of a modernising Lamu, it is thus not necessary to limit cultural identity to physical forms, aesthetics, materials and textures.
The provision of affordable housing remains a problem both in developing and developed countries in the world. The government of Kenya unveiled Affordable Housing Programme (AHP) as one of the big four agenda with a proposal to provide housing to all Kenyans by targeting construction of 500,000 affordable houses by 2022. This study uses the case of Park Road affordable housing project in Ngara Estate in Nairobi to evaluate the current status, opportunities and challenges of the affordable housing programme (AHP) in Kenya. Data are obtained from primary and secondary sources in texts, interviews, content review of print and electronic media, and government of Kenya published manuals on the affordable housing programme. The data are analyzed and presented in form of tables and photographs. Findings reveal that the AHP has presented immense opportunities for artisans in the informal (Jua Kali) sector. There is, however, slow uptake of the completed units since most applicants are unable to raise the 12.5 percent of home value required to participate in the lottery for house allocation. The study recommends that the government should embrace standardized mass production of affordable housing in order to achieve faster roll out of the programme to other parts of Kenya.
Riparian Land Control, Contestation and Its Implication to Conservation in Nairobi City
The riparian zone is perceived depending on how the concepts of land and land use are defined, used, and managed. When the riparian zone is seen in the context of land for development or ignored as unique land use in its own right, then it faces challenges of encroachment and degradation. The purpose of this paper is to assess riparian land control and contestation and its implication to conservation in Nairobi, Mathare, and Ngong’ rivers. The specific objectives include mapping out the river, establishing the number of structures on the river channel, at 6, 10, and 30 metres from the riverbank, and proposing strategies for appropriate riparian zone measures using riparian width and condition as the surrogates. The study used both secondary and primary methods of data collection. Secondary data was sourced from published journals, past research documents, and relevant books. Observation and key informant interview methods were used to collect primary data in the nine rivers traversing Nairobi City County, with greater attention given to Nairobi, Mathare, and Ngong’ rivers. The tool used for data collection was the Kobo collect tool. The study found out that land use and biophysical factors constitute a complexity of issues. A diversity of land uses heavily contests the riparian zone uses. These include; industrials and informal settlements on the Ngong’ River, and high, medium, and low-density residential land uses along Nairobi and Mathare rivers. The study further established that there is limited control of the riparian zone for better conservation. This has resulted in adverse implications on the environmental health of the riparian zone as well as adverse health and social outcomes to the urban residents. The study has, therefore, proposed strategies to address identified gaps, which include: to secure and regulate the use of the riparian zone, land use planning, land surveying of the zones, land registration, and environmental impact mitigation.
The field of co-design has grown exponentially in the last 20 years. This is evidenced by an increasing number of non-designers getting involved in design projects. The rationale for the engagement of non-designers in design projects is that the involvement of users ensures their inclusion in knowledge development, idea generation and concept development of products and systems, whose ultimate goal is to serve the interests of the same users. The projects aims of co-design have developed, from being mainly about ICT development to include, for instance, service design, housing development, behavioral change interventions and product development, amongst others. Building on the tenets of participatory design, and being a relatively new approach to designing, a desktop research was carried out that looked at co-design information published in journals, books, reports and internet blogs. The focus of this study was to highlight some of the tools, methods and techniques used to enable co-design. The findings show that three approaches, along which tools are developed, have been used for co-design, namely; telling, making and enacting activities. Telling activities include use of narratives and story telling, gaming and future workshops. Making activities include use of prototypes, probes and generative tools. Enacting activities include use of theater techniques and scenario building. From the exemplars in this study, it was noted that tools are not used in isolation, but are often used in combination. In conclusion, the study proposes a framework for co-design participation that can be used by designers in determining the choice of co-design tools based on intent of use, such as, for probing participants, for priming participants in order to immerse them in the area of interest, to better understand their experiences and lastly, for generating ideas for design concepts.
Role of Pension Backed Mortgages in Affordable Housing in Kenya
Access to affordable housing is a challenge to many public sector employees who retire without a home despite having worked and saved towards pension. One of the initiatives by the Government of Kenya (GOK) to increase access to housing is by amending the Retirement Benefits Act (RBA) to allow pension funds to be used as collateral for purchase of a home. The uptake of Pension Backed Mortgages (PBMs) by public sector employees in Kenya has, however, been low. This study sought to evaluate the role of Pension Backed Mortgages (PBMs) in provision of affordable housing among public sector workers in Nairobi City in Kenya. The population comprised of pension scheme administrators, financial institutions, RBA officials and Civil Servants who are pension contributors. Purposive sampling was employed targeting scheme administrators, pensioners, managers of financial institutions and Retirement Benefits Authority. Data were obtained from primary and secondary sources and analyzed and presented in tables and diagrams. Findings indicate that uptake of PBMs by public sector workers in Kenya has remained low, even after amending the Retirement Benefits Mortgage Regulations to allow pensioners to use about 60% of pension savings as collateral. This is attributed to factors such as: high mortgage interest rates, lack of awareness on use of pension funds as collateral, lengthy mortgage processes, lack of serviced land, stiffer requirements limiting access to long term loans and, process elements such as financing, planning, external environment, execution, and construction. The study concludes that the uptake of pension backed mortgages has not significantly contributed to provision of affordable housing in Kenya, and recommends vigorous public sensitization, creation of awareness, and legal reforms geared towards enhancing and streamlining use of pension funds for wider access to affordable housing among public sector pensioners in Kenya.
The Role of Appropriate Training in the Delivery of Affordable Housing
Affordable housing for the low- and middle-income earners has remained a key challenge globally, more so in the developing countries. As such, due to combined efforts, various institutions facilitate the training of housing practitioners, which has improved models of resolving challenges derived from urbanization, as well as doubling on the capacity development within cities, and equally assuring cities become sustainable and dignified places of living. Skills development allow individual practitioners and policy makers to embark on decision making, enabling the formulation of evidence-based policing programs and projects; consequently, offering room for well-informed decisions. The concomitant institution building programs strengthen institutions capacity development and offer sustainable room for consolidating functioning institutions, and an environment for the achievement of sustainable growth. Nigeria's rapid urbanization, poor training policies, and the need for social-economic improvements and better standards of living, were the cornerstones for this research. The research design was a mix of qualitative and quantitative research strategies. The collected data was both numerical and descriptive, justifying the dual research strategy. The data collection tools were semi-structured questionnaires and semi-structured interviews. These methods ensured secure and adequate data to facilitate thorough investigation of the research problem. It was established that the increasing role of the training model cannot be over emphasized. The findings in this study established that addressing the issue of affordable housing would involve placing more focus on education, training and research.
Rural-Urban ‘Divide’ and the Formation of ‘Sporadic Appended Urban Sprawl’ in Kenyan Cities
Three propositions are advanced to explain the peculiar ‘sporadic and appended sprawl’ currently emerging at the rural-urban interface of the Kenyan cities. First, if policies treat the rural and urban spaces as separate cocoons, the zone-specific development control models emerge and the unregulated rural model become cheaper. Secondly, if the value of properties in the city and in the areas outside them shall not vary significantly, speculative investment will ensue outside the city, thus forming sprawl. Thirdly, the sprawl cannot be regulated by the two cocoon-specific development control models and this makes it sporadic. To verify the three assertions, a comparative analysis was carried out. Nairobi average land values (LAVA), house values (HOVA) and rent values (REVA) were compared with those of the bordering counties of Machakos and Kajiado. The average cost of undertaking development, both in the city and in suburbia, were also subjected to analysis of variance. The inquiry found that whereas there were no significant variations in LAVA, HOVA and REVA values (TR) in Nairobi and suburbia, variations in development costs (TC) were significant. It was concluded that variations in cost led to speculative investment in the less costly suburbia. To prevent the ‘sporadic appended sprawl’, the rural-urban ‘divide’ must be harmonized.
Socio-Demographic Predictors of Neighbourhood Parks' Utilisation in Nairobi City:
Neighbourhood parks offer ecological, social, economic, psychological, and recreational benefits to urban residents. Their utilisation is influenced by users' socio-demographic characteristics, including age, gender, education level, marital status, and occupation. Park utilisation was elucidated through user activities. The study examined eight purposively selected neighbourhood parks and conveniently sampled 416 male and female park users across 11 age groups. Findings revealed a predominance of male park users, primarily young, unmarried, and self-employed individuals with secondary education. Significant associations were found between age, gender, education level, occupation, and park utilisation, while marital status showed no significant association. Five main park utilisation activities emerged: commercial activities, passive recreation, organised sports, child play, and urban agriculture. The study concluded that user socio-demographic characteristics significantly influenced park utilisation. Recommendations include integrating recreation with commerce, adding agri-amenities, designing multi-use game areas, and ensuring consistent park maintenance and surveillance.
Chi-square analysis, mixed methods, Nairobi, neighbourhood parks, park utilisation, socio-demographic characteristics, urban green spaces, urban planning
Route Choice Behaviour on the Nairobi Expressway, Kenya:
This study examined determinants of route choice behaviour on the Nairobi Expressway, Kenya’s first major urban toll road operating alongside free alternative routes. Despite growing investment in African urban toll roads, limited empirical evidence exists on motorists’ route choice behaviour in dual-network contexts. Guided by transport behaviour theory, the study assessed the influence of toll cost, entry/exit convenience, traffic flow, time savings, and road condition on motorists’ decisions. A mixed-methods cross-sectional design combined questionnaire surveys (n = 690) with five key informant interviews involving Kenya National Highways Authority and Moja Expressway Company officials. Quantitative data were analysed using descriptive statistics, correlations, and multiple linear regression, while qualitative findings were analysed thematically. The regression model was statistically significant (R² = 0.081). Traffic flow and road condition significantly influenced route choice, while toll cost, time savings, and entry/exit convenience were not significant predictors. Findings suggest motorists prioritise operational reliability and infrastructure quality over direct monetary cost.
Kenya, Nairobi Expressway, mixed-methods research, multiple linear regression, route choice behaviour, transport infrastructure, urban toll roads, operational reliability, public-private partnerships
Options for Land Acquisition to Accommodate Missing Urban Infrastructure in Kenya:
Worldwide, sustainable urban development depends on planning systems that integrate public infrastructure within urban land-use frameworks. However, unregulated market development and exclusionary planning practices have produced infrastructure-deficient settlements in many countries of the Global South, particularly Kenya. This study examines options for land acquisition and infrastructure provision in already developed settlements where land is privately owned and retrospective planning is difficult. The study adopted a qualitative comparative case study methodology based on desk review of planning literature, policies, statutes, and international case studies. Historical and comparative analyses were used to examine the European reconstruction experience, the American incremental planning model, and Tanzania’s Kupanga, Kupima na Kuhalalisha (KKK) model. Findings indicate that no single universal model can resolve infrastructure deficiencies in already developed settlements. However, the reviewed cases demonstrate the importance of strong state intervention, participatory planning, incremental redevelopment, and effective development control systems in addressing infrastructure deprivation in Kenyan towns.
Urban infrastructure, land acquisition, urban planning, infrastructure provision, informality, Kenya, spatial planning
Urban riverine ecosystems are increasingly threatened by rapid land use transformations driven by urbanization, agricultural expansion, and infrastructure development in the Global South. This study develops a conservation strategy for the Nanyuki River by examining the effects of land use change on hydrology, water quality, and biodiversity within a water urbanism framework. A mixed-methods approach integrating spatial analysis, field measurements, water quality assessment, biodiversity surveys, and stakeholder perspectives was employed. Findings reveal significant spatial variation along the river corridor. Upstream sections remained relatively stable, while urbanized midstream areas experienced reduced flows, biodiversity decline, and severe microbial contamination. Downstream sections exhibited cumulative pollution impacts associated with increased impervious surfaces, riparian encroachment, and wastewater discharge. The study demonstrates that land use intensity is a major driver of ecological degradation and reduced river health. It proposes a water urbanism conservation framework integrating land use planning, riparian protection, decentralized wastewater management, and community-based governance to support sustainable river restoration and adaptive urban water management.
Ecosystem services, GIS, land use change, mixed-methods, NDVI, Nanyuki River, riparian buffer, social-ecological systems, water urbanism
Evaluating Intelligent Traffic Management and Intersection Performance at Ring Road Kileleshwa/Riverside Drive, Nairobi
This study evaluates the impact of Intelligent Traffic Management Systems (ITMS) on the operational performance of the Ring Road Kileleshwa/Riverside Drive intersection in Nairobi City, Kenya. Despite increasing deployment of ITMS in African cities, microsimulation-based evaluations of their operational effectiveness remain limited. Using AIMSUN microsimulation software, four traffic control scenarios were modelled and analysed: unsignalized priority control, fixed-time signals, optimized fixed-time signals, and vehicle-actuated signals. Performance was assessed using throughput, volume-to-capacity ratio, delay, queue length, and Level of Service (LOS). Results indicate that all scenarios experienced severe congestion, although operational performance varied across approaches. Vehicle-actuated control increased throughput but worsened delays due to unoptimized base timing, while the optimized fixed-time plan achieved the most balanced operational performance. The findings demonstrate that signal optimization alone cannot resolve physical capacity constraints and must be complemented by geometric improvements. The study contributes a replicable microsimulation framework for evaluating ITMS effectiveness in African urban intersections.
Adaptive traffic control, AIMSUN, microsimulation, signal optimization, urban mobility, level of service, queue length, traffic flow, Nairobi
A Perception-Based Walkability Index for an Informal-Economy CBD Corridor:
Pedestrians account for most road traffic fatalities in Sub-Saharan Africa, yet walkability frameworks developed in high-income countries do not capture the contested streetscape of informal-economy Central Business Districts or the systematic attribution biases between road users. This study develops and validates a perception-based Walkability Performance Index (WPI) using survey data from 1,248 respondents (614 pedestrians, 425 drivers including 218 matatu operators, and 209 vendors) along Kenneth Matiba Road, a 250-metre Central Business District corridor in Nairobi. The corridor scored 39.0/100, with infrastructure adequacy the weakest sub-dimension (32.4/100). A 1.57-point attribution asymmetry on driver yielding was documented (rank-biserial r = 0.68), with significant matatu–private differences. Pedestrians and vendors converged on designated vending areas as a priority intervention. The instrument showed strong reliability (Cronbach’s α = 0.870) and offers a low-cost diagnostic for Central Business District corridors across Sub-Saharan Africa.
Informal vending, kerbside management, paratransit, pedestrian perception, walk audit, walkability index
Shimoni is a pre-colonial town along the East African coast distinguished by Swahili architecture and slave trade heritage. This study employed qualitative and quantitative approaches, including condition surveys and Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA), to examine the condition of cultural heritage and residents’ perceptions toward conservation. Findings revealed deterioration of heritage resources caused by neglect, vandalism, inadequate maintenance, and uncontrolled architectural modifications. CFA confirmed nine key associative heritage values: economic, aesthetic, social, educational, historic, spiritual, symbolic, use, and sustainability values. The study further established a strong relationship between heritage preservation and community perceptions of heritage value. Despite strong community attachment, Shimoni’s cultural heritage remains vulnerable to continued decline without deliberate conservation interventions. The study recommends participatory conservation planning, adaptive reuse of historic buildings, stronger planning controls, heritage documentation, and community stewardship initiatives. These measures can support sustainable preservation, strengthen local identity, promote heritage tourism, and safeguard the historic town from extinction while contributing to scientific conservation approaches for Swahili settlements along the East African coast.
Built environment, built heritage, condition survey, confirmatory factor analysis, empirical conservation strategy, heritage values, historic town, lack of maintenance, Shimoni, Swahili Coast, Swahili architecture, urban conservation, vandalism
Community-led development (CLD) has become increasingly important as external aid declines and local capacity becomes central to development practice. Yet limited research compares how different stakeholders understand CLD or how dialogue reshapes these perceptions. This mixed-methods study examines CLD in Nairobi, Kenya, using pre- and post-dialogue surveys with 47 participants (N = 47), including Master’s students from the University of Nairobi and American University, and residents of the Mukuru informal settlement engaged in community initiatives. The study also draws on interviews with residents, development professionals, and government officials. Survey findings show broad support for CLD while identifying funding abuse, gatekeeping (Bashir, 2021), land tenure insecurity, and weak trust in state programs as key barriers. Interview analysis revealed six themes: land tenure and governance, infrastructure and housing, environmental risk, government trust, citizenship and legal identity, and community vision. Structured dialogue challenges assumptions and aligns development practice more closely with community realities.
Community-led development, informal settlements, mixed-methods research, participatory dialogue, stakeholder perceptions, Mukuru, Nairobi, Kenya
Editorial Heritage Conservation, Urban Mobility and Sustainable Development in Africa Welcome to the Twenty-First Volume, 2nd Issue of the Africa Habitat Review–Journal of the Faculty of Built Environment and Design. This issue presents critically analysed papers on matters relating to heritage conservation, community-led development, urban mobility, infrastructure provision, environmental management, and sustainable planning across Africa. Collectively, the contributions highlight context-sensitive research and practice, offering valuable insights into the relationships between culture, communities, infrastructure, governance, and the built environment in rapidly transforming African landscapes. The article on Valorizing Cultural Landscapes for Rural Development: A Case of Abindu and Kit Mikayi, Kisumu County, Kenya explores the potential of cultural landscapes as catalysts for rural development. The study investigates the landscape attributes and values associated with the Abindu and Kit Mikayi sites through a qualitative approach involving interviews, expert opinion, observation, mapping, and photography. Findings reveal that rare rock formations, caves, and indigenous medicinal flora constitute significant landscape resources, while spiritual and religious values remain the most important motivations for visitation. The study further identifies inadequate infrastructure and land encroachment as major threats to the sustainability of these sites. The article contributes to rural planning and heritage management discourse by demonstrating the importance of integrating cultural landscape values into development planning and recommends improved infrastructure provision and supportive policy frameworks. The article on Rethinking Community-Led Development: A Comparative Dialogue from Mukuru Informal Settlements investigates how different stakeholders understand community-led development and how dialogue influences these perceptions. Using a mixed-methods approach involving surveys and interviews among students, community residents, development practitioners, and government officials, the study evaluates opportunities and barriers associated with community-led initiatives. Findings reveal widespread support for community-led development but identify funding misuse, gatekeeping, land tenure insecurity, and weak trust in government programmes as significant constraints. The study further demonstrates that structured dialogue can challenge preconceived assumptions and foster greater alignment between development interventions and community realities. The article contributes to participatory development discourse by highlighting the value of dialogue-based engagement in strengthening locally driven development processes. The article on Continuity with Change: Developing an Empirical Conservation Strategy for Historic Shimoni Town Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis examines the conservation challenges facing one of Kenya’s historic Swahili settlements. Through condition surveys and Confirmatory Factor Analysis, the study evaluates the state of cultural heritage resources and community perceptions regarding conservation. Findings reveal widespread deterioration resulting from neglect, vandalism, inadequate maintenance, and uncontrolled alterations to historic structures. The analysis identifies nine key heritage values and establishes a strong relationship between community perceptions and conservation outcomes. The study emphasizes the vulnerability of Shimoni’s heritage despite strong local attachment and recommends participatory conservation planning, adaptive reuse, stronger planning controls, and heritage documentation. The article contributes to scientific approaches for conserving historic coastal settlements and promoting sustainable heritage management. The article on A Perception-Based Walkability Index for an Informal-Economy CBD Corridor: Kenneth Matiba Road, Nairobi develops and validates a context-specific tool for assessing walkability within informal-economy urban environments. Drawing on survey data from pedestrians, drivers, matatu operators, and vendors, the study constructs a Walkability Performance Index tailored to the realities of African Central Business Districts. Findings indicate poor overall corridor performance, with infrastructure adequacy emerging as the weakest component. Significant differences were observed in perceptions of driver yielding behaviour, particularly between matatu and private vehicle operators. Respondents identified designated vending areas as a priority intervention for improving pedestrian experiences. The article contributes an innovative and reliable diagnostic tool capable of informing pedestrian-oriented planning and policy interventions across Sub-Saharan African cities. The article on Options for Land Acquisition to Accommodate Missing Urban Infrastructure in Kenya: Lessons from Case Reviews addresses the challenge of providing public infrastructure within already developed settlements where land ownership constraints complicate planning interventions. Through comparative analysis of international experiences and policy frameworks, the study evaluates strategies for acquiring land and facilitating infrastructure provision. Findings demonstrate that no single model offers a universal solution to infrastructure deficiencies in built-up areas. However, the reviewed cases highlight the importance of state intervention, participatory planning, incremental redevelopment, and effective development control mechanisms. The article contributes to urban planning discourse by providing practical lessons for addressing infrastructure deficits in rapidly urbanizing Kenyan towns and cities. The article on Route Choice Behaviour on the Nairobi Expressway, Kenya: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Urban Toll Road Use investigates factors influencing motorists’ decisions when choosing between tolled and non-tolled urban road networks. Guided by transport behaviour theory, the study combines questionnaire surveys and key informant interviews to examine the influence of toll cost, convenience, traffic flow, time savings, and road condition. Findings reveal that traffic flow and road condition significantly affect route choice, while toll charges, entry and exit convenience, and time savings are less influential. The study demonstrates that motorists prioritize reliability and infrastructure quality over direct monetary costs when making travel decisions. The article contributes important evidence for transport planning and policy formulation concerning urban toll road operations in African cities. The article on Evaluating Intelligent Traffic Management and Intersection Performance at Ring Road Kileleshwa/Riverside Drive, Nairobi assesses the effectiveness of Intelligent Traffic Management Systems in improving intersection operations within a congested urban environment. Using microsimulation modelling, the study compares multiple traffic control scenarios, including unsignalized, fixed-time, optimized, and vehicle-actuated systems. Findings reveal persistent congestion across all scenarios despite variations in operational performance. While vehicle-actuated control increased throughput, it also generated higher delays due to timing inefficiencies, whereas optimized fixed-time control produced the most balanced outcomes. The study concludes that signal optimization alone cannot overcome physical capacity limitations and must be supported by geometric improvements. The article contributes a replicable framework for evaluating intelligent traffic interventions within African urban transport systems. The article on Water Urbanism and Land Use Change: A Conservation Strategy for Nanyuki Riverine Ecosystem, Laikipia County investigates the impacts of land use transformation on river health within a rapidly changing urban environment. Using a mixed-methods approach that integrates spatial analysis, biodiversity assessment, water quality evaluation, and stakeholder perspectives, the study examines ecological conditions along the Nanyuki River corridor. Findings reveal that urbanization, riparian encroachment, wastewater discharge, and expanding impervious surfaces have contributed significantly to declining biodiversity, reduced water quality, and ecosystem degradation. The study further demonstrates that land use intensity remains a key driver of environmental decline. The article contributes a comprehensive water urbanism framework that integrates planning, conservation, wastewater management, and community participation to support sustainable river restoration and long-term ecological resilience.
VOLUME 21 ISSUE 2 (MAY - AUGUST, 2026) CONTENT VII Editorial Prof. Robert W. Rukwaro 3874 Valorizing Cultural Landscapes for Rural Development: A Case of Abindu and Kit Mikayi, Kisumu County, Kenya Edwin Oluoch K’oyoo 3890 Rethinking Community-Led Development: A Comparative Dialogue from Mukuru Informal Settlements Angela R. Pashayan and Sonika Mahat 3904 Continuity with Change: Developing an Empirical Conservation Strategy for Historic Shimoni Town Using Confirmatory Factor Analysis Ali Abdallah Budzuma, Mugwima Njuguna and Karanja Dennis 3922 A Perception-Based Walkability Index for an Informal-Economy CBD Corridor: Kenneth Matiba Road, Nairobi Joseph Lebiya Kochalle, Osano Simpson Nyambane and George Paul K. Matheri 3940 Options for Land Acquisition to Accommodate Missing Urban Infrastructure in Kenya: Lessons from Case Reviews Jeremiah N. Ayonga 3956 Evaluating Intelligent Traffic Management and Intersection Performance at Ring Road Kileleshwa/ Riverside Drive, Nairobi Tabitha Wambui Kariuki, Simpson Nyambane Osano, John Francis Gichaga and Brian Oketch Jobita 3976 Water Urbanism and Land Use Change: A Conservation Strategy for Nanyuki Riverine Ecosystem, Laikipia County Nelson Michael Akwata Mudenyo, Mugwima Njuguna and Shadrack Mutungi Simon 4000 Route Choice Behaviour on the Nairobi Expressway, Kenya: A Mixed-Methods Analysis of Urban Toll Road Use Christabel Olweny Misere, Simpson Nyambane Osano and John Francis Gichaga
he Africa Habitat Review Journal seeks to advance knowledge and promote the exchange of ideas among scholars, practitioners, policymakers, and other stakeholders in the built environment. The journal provides a platform for disseminating research, innovation, and professional practice that respond to emerging technologies, research developments, and contemporary challenges, with the aim of improving the efficiency, effectiveness, and sustainability of the sector. It encourages contributions from both academic and professional communities and supports research that informs policy dialogue and decision-making. The journal explicitly links theory and practice within Kenyan, regional, and international contexts.
Construction Delays in Rwanda's Local Government Projects: A Statistical Framework for Management
Rwanda's construction sector, contributing 8.2% to GDP, faces persistent delays threatening Vision 2050 targets. This study examines delay factors in local government infrastructure projects using a mixed-methods approach involving stakeholders from Nyagatare and Musanze districts. Findings reveal that financial factors are the primary drivers of construction delays, showing a strong positive correlation with delay occurrence (r = 0.783, p < 0.001). Multiple regression analysis further establishes that financial factors exert the greatest predictive influence on project delays compared to administrative, technical, and environmental factors. Based on these findings, the Rwanda Construction Delay Management Framework (RCDMF) was developed, projecting up to a 60% reduction in proreduction in project delays when fully implemented. The study recommends strengthening pre-project financial planning, enforcing timely payment systems through IFMIS, and enhancing technical capacity through targeted training to improve delay management in Rwanda’s local government construction projects.
Construction delays, local government projects, financial factors, statistical prediction, Rwanda; Vision 2050, IFMIS, delay management framework
Adoption of Green Roofs for Climate Change Adaptation in Nairobi CBD:
Nairobi’s Central Business District (CBD) is increasingly affected by environmental challenges, including the Urban Heat Island effect and flash flooding. Although green roofs offer effective solutions for temperature regulation and stormwater management, their adoption remains notably low. This study applied a mixed-methods approach, guided by the Diffusion of Innovations and Planned Behavior theories, to evaluate adoption factors among 110 stakeholders, including architects, developers, and regulators. Findings reveal a significant gap between positive perceptions and actual implementation. While stakeholders highly rate the aesthetic (M = 4.27) and environmental (M = 4.19) benefits of green roofs, they report limited practical exposure (M = 2.68) and technical training. Although retrofitting is viewed as feasible (M = 3.87), high initial costs—ranging from KSh 3,000 to 7,000/m²—remain a critical deterrent. The study concludes that favorable attitudes alone are insufficient for adoption, requiring mandatory regulations, standardized guidelines, and targeted financial incentives.
Green roofs, climate change adaptation, adoption, urban heat island, green infrastructure, mixed-methods, Nairobi
Integrating African Design Technologies into Business Strategy:
This study explores how African cultural design technologies—including indigenous motifs, materials, and narratives—can be integrated into corporate business strategy to promote innovation and sustainability. Using a mixed-methods approach, the research surveyed 150 creative businesses across multiple African countries and conducted in-depth interviews with 20 cultural entrepreneurs. Guided by the Knowledge-Based View, Hofstede’s Cultural Dimensions, and Sustainable Development theory, the study examines how blending modern business practices with traditional African design principles enhances firm performance. Findings indicate that cultural integration strengthens consumer engagement, builds brand loyalty, and generates sustainability benefits through the use of local resources and culturally rooted practices. Qualitative insights illustrate how these outcomes occur in practice, particularly through collaboration with artisans and community-based knowledge systems. By triangulating survey and interview data, the study provides an empirical model demonstrating that indigenous African design principles function as strategic assets for innovation, competitiveness, and sustainable business development.
African design; business strategy; innovation; sustainability; mixed-methods research
The Role of Car-Free Zones as Public Open Spaces in Enhancing Place Identity in Kigali City
Car-free zones as pedestrianized, non-motorized public open spaces within urban realms offer various functions based on their physical elements. The activities within foster special connections based on their physical characteristics, meanings and memories attached, leading to formation of place identity (PI). Despite the rapid emergence of car-free initiatives in African cities, limited empirical research has examined how such spaces contribute to place identity formation. There are few studies in Africa currently that delve into place-people relationships within car-free zones. The car-free zone within Kigali City’s central business district presents the case study. The study aimed first to analyze the functions of the space, second to analyze the physical elements and image of the space and lastly to investigate perceptions on PI. A mixed-methods approach was employed using a survey of 183 respondents, field investigation through photography and mapping. Regression analysis identified landscape values, such as air quality, recreation and therapeutic values as significant predictors of PI, while correlation analysis revealed moderate positive spatial associations.
Car-free zones, place identity, place attachment, landscape urbanism, urban public space, Kigali City
Assessment of Planned Urbanization and Rural Settlement Policy Implementation in Post-Genocide Rwanda (2018–2024)
The paper examines the Post-War Rwanda Government’s management approach to urbanization and rural settlement development. Through an End of Term Evaluation of the Second Urban and Rural Settlement Sector Strategic Plan (2018/19–2023/24), the paper seeks to understand what worked well, what did not, operational experience, opportunities, and challenges. The evaluation applied a theory of change approach to examine the effectiveness and impact of the policy and institutional framework in relation to its goals, inputs, and implementation actions. The findings provide evidence that Rwanda’s policies and management approach to urbanization and rural settlement development have largely achieved the set priorities and targets. However, aspects of the approach remain controversial and contested both domestically and internationally.
Planned urbanization and rural settlements, Imidugudu (grouped villages), agglomeration, urban sprawl, urbanization hierarchy, theory of change, one stop center, land use planning, informal settlements